North Dakota's $5.7 Billion Missile Defense Pyramid Now Data Center

Constructed between 1970 and 1974, the Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex opened on October 1, 1975, and was closed by Congress just a day later. The project aimed to protect Minuteman missile silos from Soviet strikes but became obsolete due to the 1972 SALT negotiations, which limited the U.S. and USSR to two missile defense sites each.

Although operational until February 10, 1976, the facility's actual use was minimal, costing taxpayers $5.7 billion, equivalent to approximately $32 billion today. The site has been repurposed by the Cavalier County Job Development Authority into a cryptocurrency data center, reflecting a shift from Cold War defense to modern technological applications.